Pomp under tough circumstances

The million-dollar motorhomes still crowd the infield at Daytona International Speedway, and the FanZone has hosted a steady stream of cash-carrying customers.

The hospitality village is up and running, ready to host VIPs who helicopter in before NASCAR's version of the Super Bowl.

On the surface, nothing seems amiss as today's season-opening Daytona 500 approaches. Is it all just a mirage?

NASCAR, like most businesses, is certainly feeling the affects of the economic crisis as America's most popular racing series heads into yet another season. Budgets have been slashed and hundreds of crew members are out of work. Teams that existed in November have folded, while others have merged to stave off a similar fate.

But Daytona is a difficult place to measure just how rough 2009 could be. Pomp and circumstance still surround the biggest event of the season, creating an appearance of normalcy that might be misleading.

"I think the Daytona 500 is such a big event in and of itself that it seems like you always have more here than you have other places," veteran driver Jeff Burton said. "It's hard to compare the Daytona 500 to other places. But we know there are companies that aren't doing the hospitality they did last year. We know there are people who aren't going to be able to buy the race tickets they did last year. I think that will show up more at the Californias, the Atlantas, the places like that is where we'll see it."

Indeed, the talk during the weeklong buildup to the 500 has been a worried whisper about sluggish ticket sales next week at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., or next month in Atlanta. Both venues traditionally have struggled to fill the grandstands, and the respective owners swapped their late-season dates this year in an effort to lure fans to their races.

"There's no doubt this is going to be a difficult year to sell tickets," Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said. "But it's going to be difficult in every sport, not just NASCAR."

Regardless, people in every corner of the garage recognize the sport — which is so heavily dependent on corporate sponsorship — has a challenging season ahead. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin all informed owner Rick Hendrick they'd be willing to take a reduction in salary if it would help the organization maintain its hold as NASCAR's most dominant team.

"I certainly don't want Rick to be in a position where he can't do things for the race team because he has to pay Jeff Gordon," the four-time series champion said. "And I certainly don't want sponsors to not come into the company because they can't afford the rates."

So far, at least at the front of the field, the sponsorship dollars still are flowing. There's no hiding that some teams are struggling to find significant funding, but there are companies still willing to spend, said David Abrutyn, senior vice president of IMG Consulting, which works with NASCAR sponsors Allstate and Coca-Cola.

The weakened economy has opened the door for independent team owners to get a foot in the sport, proven when Scott Riggs and Jeremy Mayfield both earned spots in the Daytona 500. Mayfield formed his own team less than a month ago, while Riggs was persuaded to drive for former crew chief Tommy Baldwin.

Earnhardt Jr. grew up in that style of NASCAR, watching his grandfather and father eke out a living through racing.

"I pull hard for the underdog," he said. "If there is a time when it can get back to single-car teams with minimal funding competing, this is it."